GEORGE NEWS - Yesterday morning at 11:00 the level of the Garden Route dam was still refusing to break through the magical 50% barrier and teetered on the brink at 49,9%.

This was despite the 14,7mm rain that has fallen since Sunday, but healthy down flow could still be on its way to the dam.
The waste water purification works has also been given a very brief trial run, but the purified water that has actually reached the dam is reported to be too little to make any difference to the level of the dam.

So far, water quality tests have proved to be satisfactory and the water has met all specifications. Further tests are being conducted to ensure optimum results and put any public concerns about hormones and heavy metals to rest.
At the George Water Forum meeting last week, senior manager of civil engineering services, Harold Basson said the purified water is of excellent quality. "In fact, at the moment the purified waste water is cleaner than the water already in the dam!" The waste water purification plant will be officially opened this coming Tuesday.
The plant will be able to, when needed, pump an additional 10ML water into the dam every day.

The overflow of the dam has become quite a heated topic in George and again reared it’s head at the meeting.
Professor Adré Boshoff from the George Ratepayers association accused council of dragging its feet. "Raising the overflow would have been the cheapest and easiest option by far. Why go to all these extreme lengths like building a purification plant when the overflow could easily be raised?"

Basson explained that they have applied for permission from government as early as 2005 to raise the overflow, but that new legislation complicates matters. "It is still in the pipeline and will be done as soon as we are granted departmental approval."
He also stressed that raising the overflow alone would not have been a solution to George’s water woes. "It would only have made a 5% to 10% difference - not nearly enough to supply in our demand during times of drought."

Discussions about the water situation in Mossel Bay will take place next week.
The Wolwedans Dam is less than 20% full and chances are good that George will transport water by rail to the drought stricken town to see them through the holiday season at the end of the year.

Article: Ilse Schoonraad


Harold Basson and his second in charge, Lindsay Mooiman share a laugh at the Water Forum meeting in George last week. Photo: Ilse Schoonraad